19 Chapter 19

One day, Thaddeus brought along his young niece, Penelope.As I welcomed her, I immediately took note of her striking beauty.Penelope possessed a slender body, a heart-shaped face, delicate features, and round, luminous eyes the color of the Aegean Sea.Her hair cascaded down her back in red curls, although she wore the side tresses twisted artfully on top of her head and pinned with pearl-encrusted combs.I also noted that she wore the latest style, a pleated chiton of fine linen, embroidered at the hem with gilt thread, and cinched at the waist with a lamé mesh girdle.Around her neck she wore strands of shell pink beads, their color a match to her delicate rose cheeks.

As I did Darshak, I admired her beauty, her voice like the sound of chiming of bells, her demeanor sweet and charming.Penelope possessed a pure, innocent aura, yet to be branded by passion and the fear some of the Haraetas faced-the fear of growing and looking old without finding love and companionship.

For some reason, I wanted to make the young woman's acquaintance further, perhaps strike up a friendship.Despite my popularity, I had been feeling a pang of loneliness, for I hadn't developed any real friendships among the other women in the house.Perhaps because they-like me in a way-remained territorial and wary of another woman's attempt at closeness, a sign that her ulterior motive might be to steal the other's lucrative clientele.

Of course, Tira remained a true friend, but our relationship did not extend to the social, aesthetic level.For that I had to rely on men.But I had grown weary of their coarse hands pawing at my smooth flesh, their gruff, groaning voices irritating my senses, their often bloated bodies weighing heavily on top of me, and their foul breath from too much rich food making me choke in disgust.I yearned for a soft touch, a warm hand to stroke and calm me, a pleasant demeanor and light, serene voice, a person who made me think of that oasis I had dreamed about once, a person who could be my oasis.

To my joy, Penelope singled me out in order that we might share some private time together.Often we left the group and walked along the colonnade, between the mighty cypress, the shady olive trees and the date palms.With the statue of Aphrodite looking down upon us from her hillside altar, Penelope related the story of the Goddess of Love.

In the beginning," Penelope related, "the sky Ouranos, had sexual relations with his mate the earth, Gaia.But Kronos, Ouranos's son, ambushed his father and sliced off his genitals.When he threw them in the sea, a foam appeared and in the foam a maiden grew.The genitals landed on Cyprus and Aphrodite stepped ashore."

Penelope paused to gauge my reaction but I simply smiled at such an imaginative story.Then she continued, "Aphrodite acquired an honor, or a divine province, of sexual love.Now she represents its desires and its pleasures."

"I like that story," I told her truthfully."No other myth or philosophy compares or dares to explain our sexuality, why we have desires and why we must sate them."

"You mean the desire of sexual love?" she asked as she shaded her eyes demurely with her hand.

"Oh, yes!" I exclaimed."Sexual love above all, but spiritual love, too.All forms of love are acceptable, men loving women, men loving men, and women loving women.Thus, whomever we choose to love, we must strive to love completely, openly and honestly."

"I like your philosophy," Penelope told me with a thin but knowing smile.

One day as we took our leisurely stroll, she inched close to me and slipped her hand in mine.I immediately paused in our walk and turned to face her, my gaze filled with tenderness.I brought her hand to my lips and kissed the sweet, warm flesh of her fingers, palm and wrist.She looked at me with her bright blue eyes, her gaze and expression a mix of surprise and curiosity, surprised at my actions and curious to know and understand what I had in mind.

"I must confess to you, Evadne," Penelope revealed, "I have never been truly loved."

I frowned."What about your family, your parents?Surely they loved you."

"I have no parents," she informed me on a pragmatic note."They died when I was very young.My aunt and uncle, Jobyna and Thaddeus, took me in, although they raised me out of duty rather than out of love and affection."

I couldn't believe that anyone would deny love to such a beautiful creature as this. "You poor darling," I soothed as I took her other hand in mine."You should have been loved since birth.Has there been no man in your young life who would confess his love for you?"

Glancing down, Penelope blushed."Yes, I have had suitors, but they seemed more interested in seducing me than in loving me.You see, I have learned the difference between love and lust, and I want love more than anything else.Is that so wrong to want?"

"Not at all, my dear.It's never wrong to want love above physical gratification."I placed my fingers beneath her chin and tilted her head so I could caress the delicate pink flesh of her cheeks. "And if you allow me, I will love you, love you fully and completely."

"And truthfully?"

"Yes, truthfully."

She offered a willing smile as my finger traced the soft bow outline of her lips."Then I welcome your love," she confessed, "and will gladly give it in return, the cerebral love of two people who also wish physical affection."

"Does that mean you wish to become my lover?"I tried to keep my excitement at bay.

Penelope cast her gaze demurely to the ground."If...that is what you wish...I wish it as well...and very much so."Then, changing tact with a little giggle, she playfully bit my finger

"Oh, you wicked child!"Laughing, I quickly gathered her in my arms and brought my face close, my mouth hovering over hers in anticipation of a sweet kiss.

But Penelope threw back her head and sighed."There is one important detail I must reveal to you, Evadne.My Uncle Thaddeus has given my hand in marriage to a merchant named Antipas who has an excellent reputation and makes much money.But he also enjoys his excesses and thereby possesses a rather large body.And he smells as well."She sighed again. "Oh, I don't wish to marry such an old, fat man whether rich or poor, but I seem to have no other choice.My uncle is firm on that subject:I will marry Antipas."

As my hands gently grasped her shoulders, my mind raced with possible alternatives to her problem.I knew Thaddeus very well, his likes, his dislikes, as well as his good and bad points, particularly his greed.There was something to be said for pillow talk, the casual mentioning of personal if not confidential information from a man sated with wine, sex and satisfaction.In fact, my pillows reeked of sweaty secrets.And I knew enough to casually blackmail Thaddeus into withdrawing the proposal between his niece and the portly merchant.I just had to approach the situation the right way.

"Penelope," I began with an earnest and determined gaze."If I could persuade your uncle to end the engagement, would you come live with me?"

She nodded."I would gladly live with you and be whatever you wish me to be, servant, companion, lover..."

"Not as a servant, my dear.I want only your companionship and love.With that in mind, will you allow me to go ahead with my plan?"

She continued to nod."Yes, oh, yes.I will be eternally grateful for your help."

"Save your gratitude," I told her firmly, "and give me only your love in return.I see a long and bright future ahead of us."Now I could hardly contain my excitement and enthusiasm, for once our relationship took hold, I would then propose my ultimate gift to her:life everlasting

Penelope's eyes brightened with the prospect of an alternate future, one filled with tender and true love for an equal partner, not the inevitable role of chattel to an old obese husband.The very idea of submitting to this man's sweaty caresses compelled her to seek her independence and find the love she so desperately wanted and needed.

"I do love you, Evadne," she whispered, her gaze softening to quiet affection and adoration.

"And I love you."This time when my mouth took hers, she gave into the kiss, her lips warm and sweet with the pear-honey nectar she had drunk earlier.

My hands studied her face, memorized the shape of her jawline, her firm cheekbones and the high arch of her brows.My fingers then ran through her long, silky curls as I pressed my lips with insistent fervor against hers, opening her mouth so our tongues could meet and dance.

I moved my mouth down her chin and covered her throat and neck with greedy kisses, savoring the fragrance of fresh rose water that coated her smooth, soft flesh.

My hands stroked her small but firm breasts beneath her gown, and I felt her shiver as I shivered too, my desire for her growing rapidly.I hoped that pleasure, rather than fear or uncertainty, caused her to quiver in my arms; but to test her, I broke our embrace and then tugged down the fabric of my bodice to expose my left breast.Taking her hand, I cupped it over the hard nipple and hot flesh, knowing she could feel the rapid beat of my heart beneath.But instead of caressing me, she left her hand in that position.I felt sure modesty, rather than shame or fear, prevented her from going any further in a public place.I pulled back, covering my breast again while offering a reassuring smile.

"When the time is right," I told her, "I shall summon and welcome you to my private chambers.But first, I want to meet with your uncle."

Penelope's face brightened."You will talk to him then?"

"I will...and if that is not enough, I'll do whatever it takes to make him understand that you deserve much more than a marriage of profit.You deserve a match where love blooms and flourishes...forever."As I spoke, I took her hands in mine again and squeezed gently.I couldn't resist bringing her fingers to my lips once more so I could kiss each one, work down to her palms and on to her wrists, all the while tasting her honey flesh and inhaling her floral scent.I knew that the sensitive core between her legs would taste, smell and feel just as sweet and delightful.The thought of my mouth and tongue caressing those pliant folds beyond her soft downy mound made me hot and wet with desire.I bit the inside of my cheek, hard enough to draw blood so I could quench my arousal for now.

I hated to break away but I knew we ran the risk of being seen by her uncle who would be looking for her now, time to return home and continue on with their daily, unfettered lives.For me, the wait would be sheer agony, a devilish torture; but I consoled myself with the fact that the next time we did meet I would have Penelope all to myself.

"Farewell for now, Evadne," she offered and leaned forward to give me a quick kiss on the lips.

"Until next time, my love," I murmured and watched her run back to her uncle in the House of the Muses.